“The worst thing to happen to Crowhurst since the French came through.”

Published:17:40Monday 28 January 2013

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Crowhurst Parish Council has asked East Sussex County Council to halt work on the controversial Bexhill-Hastings Link Road.

At an unusually well-attended parish council meeting on Monday, councillors voted by a narrow margin to request the council to “delay work until English Heritage has investigated the location of the Norman Fort and probable invasion landing site.”

Legal action has been launched in a bid to discover whether Crowhurst is the real location of the 1066 battlefield.

The animated meeting, which was attended by representatives from the police and ESCC, saw a number of issues raised about the road.

Tree-felling work commenced in Crowhurst shortly before Christmas, earlier than planned.

Parish councillors expressed concern that work was started by ESCC without the promised notification.

A number of other issues were raised, including environmental concerns as the Department for Transport (DfT) previously described the Link Road as “the most polluting road” of the 50-plus new roads approved by George Osborne, along with “poor value for money”.

Councillors also accused ESCC of ‘changing horses’.

The parish council says county appeared to switch from claiming the intention of the Link Road was to relieve Bexhill Road, but is now claiming the project was all about jobs and regeneration.

The number of jobs created was called into question, with councillors citing many industrial units currently lying empty in the locality.

Councillors also expressed concerns about flooding.

At the meeting, Chas Pearce, chairman of Crowhurst Parish Council said: “The Link Road is the worst thing to happen to Crowhurst since the French came through!”

Speaking to the Observer after the meeting, Cllr Pearce said: “We have never been against a road.

“But we are strongly against the route.”

He added: “We have had regular contact with East Sussex County Council and we have enjoyed a good relationship with the council over the Link Road.”